The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1887-02-08
FIRST BATTLE OF GULL RUN.
A Michigan Volunteer Tolls tho Story OF
the Famous Panic and Stampede.

a michigan volunteer Tolls tho story OF
the Famous Panic and Stampede.
The attempt to stop the retreat oc-
CURED at q causeway about two miles
north of C~entroville. l had been sent as
q courier from Blackburn ford to Ccntre-
willie, and the panic swept mo along with
tho rest. I was only u kid Of a boy, 10
years old, and u ~bandmaster, who wanted
to reach Washington sooner than any
one else, pulled mo off my horse and left
mo to plod my way IN foot, At. least
5000 paIicstr!cken soldiers had passed
along ahead 0; mo.
We were in horrible confusion, aonlc
mounted, sealo afoot. and ambHlnnccs.
baggage wagons, army tcarns and phi
vatc carriages pushing n'Crg ~ fast as
possible, when l jumped iuio VII army
wagon to wEich was attachou tour
horses, The driver won n his saddi, on
The nigh wheel Torso, nnd soonod to be
taking tho matter very cooily. but I had
scarcely got into the vehicle when there
was q shout of rebel oavalry!" all along
tho road, and the teamster was hard
struck by it. Uc got down and began to
cut ono of the leaders loose, and I got
down and too, The other, leaving tho
wagon and the whcel horses ut the side
of tho road. I stripped OF everything
but tho bride, and had scarcely mounted
when a corporal handed me Up two large
ans of chicken, which had como from q
wagon filled with hospital stores. AS I
hnd o can under each arm, I could not
guide tho horse, but be trotted along In
the crowd for half q milo until, as we
descended @ hill, I saw ahead Of me q
causeway, q carriage turned around
across tho road, and six or eight mon in
line in front of the carriage. Not catch
ing on to whct was up, and still holding
to the cans, my horse kept his place until
Zach Chandler seized him by the bits and
called out to nc:
''Young man, take that horse back
over the hini he belongs to tho govern
ment."
I saw guns In tho hands Of the citizens,
heard them shouting and swearing at the
soldiery, and then let fall tho cans and
turned the horse around I had not zone
300 feet when there was q great shout,
and I looked around to soc tho valiant
congressman driving north at full speed.
Their effort to stop the retreat didn't last
five minutes. AS they spra1g into their
carriage the soldiers seized tue wheels to
hold them, and two or three attempted to
secure q free ride Tho New jersey regi-
ment occupied the causeway, but opened
ronks to let tho tide through, and many
of the men flung down their muskets and
Joined in tho flight.
On three difforcnt occasions after 1862
/ met Mr.. Chandler, and recalled the in
ecident, and he agreed with me in every
detail. The man who accidently shot
Maj. Eaton was the teamster who had
given me Of his horses. We rode the
patr through to Washington side by side.
One who remcrbers that panic will
hugh at the idea Of five or six citizens
seeking to check It. Had there been a
brigade Of troops across tho highway it
could not have held the frightened tide
five minutes. Had Chandler, Wade and
their crowd delayed another minute they
would have been tramped into the earth.
Every man ielt that he was being pur-
sued for his life, and when commissioned
officers were tearing off their insignia Of
rank, hinging away their side arms and
warming all syound them to hurry, what
could he expected Of the private soldier?
I om sorry that Bes, Wade didn't out a
heroic figure at t.ae causeuay to make
up for the slip th-eo or fou1 miles away
earlier in the day. AS I rode n short out
to find my ~regaEcr+, q solid shot passed
51ear me, smashed IN ambulance and tore
the splintera from - heaci, tree. Bull
Run Russell, Wade, Chandler and other
civilians were .irst beyond, and the way
they got up and lofy that section of Viz
ginia was Imaginable 70 soc. I get four
o. five pages Of Russen's manuscript, a
cane belonging to some congressman, and
could have gathered up two or tlrce plug
hats and 3 museum OF TASKS end luncheon
baskets.
The congressfope! crowd vent out to
see the C~onfedcrates got licked. Wien
they found that the boot was on the other
foot every man Of 'em was as panic
stricken as the youngest soldier, and in
stead Of playing the heroic, except in the
one instance mentioned, they were wish
Ing for wings to 1y to Washington
IuVolunteer, FSrsS Michigan Infantry" In
New York Sun.
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